Combined salt and pepper shaker



Oct. 19 1926. 1,603,567

F. C. WlDMAFflN COMBINED SALT AND PEPPER SHAKER Filed May 26, 1924Patented Oct. 19, 1926.

PATENT FRANK C. WIDMANN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

v COMBINED SALT AND PEPPER SHAKER.

Application filed May 26, 1924.

This invention relates to improvements n a combined salt and peppershaker of the type set forth in my copending application, Serial No.630,235 filed April 6, 1923. Briefly, the combined shaker common to thatapplication and the present one comprises a container having a partitiontherein which divides it into two compartments, a perforated closuredisposed across the top of the container, and a selective devicecooperating with theolosure to permit the flow of one condiment to theexclusion of the other from the container.

The objects of this invention are to simplify and cheapen theconstruction set forth in the above application, and to obtain aselective device which may be more readily put in place and is lessliable to inadvertent removal.

The means for carrying out the above objects will be fully set forth inthe following description which pertains to the accompanying drawings.The essential features of this invention will be summarized in theclaims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan of a combined salt and pepper shakershowing the normal position of the selective device for permitting theflow of salt therefrom; Fig. 2 is another plan showing the device inposition to permit the fiow of pepper; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectiontaken on the correspondingly numbered line in Fig. 1; Flg. t is anelevation of a part of the container showing the manner in which theclosure may be removed from the container; Fig. 5 is a side elevation ofa portion of the con tainer shown in Fig. 4: with a closure at 'tachedto the container; Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 66 in Fig. 3;and Fig. 7 is a bottom view of the perforated closure apart from thecontainer.

' I have illustrated my invention in con nection with a combined saltand pepper 7 shaker 10 which is provided with a partition 11 fordividing the container into two compartments as at 12 and 13.. Aperforated closure 14; extends across the top of the container and hasopenings 15 and 16 therein with a rib 17 which separates the opening andabuts the partition to position the closure on the container.

To hold the closure in adjusted position, I may employ a frame having aninwardly extending flange 18 which engages the top of the closure and adownwardly extending Serial No. 715,941.

flange 19 which engages the sides of the container. ()ne side of theframe may have a recess 20 which is adapted to receive a projection 21in the container, while the opposite side of the frame may have theflange extended downwardly as at 22 to cooperate with the lockingmechanism which will be hereinafter described.

To permit selective operation of the con tainer, I employ a slide 25having slotted openings 26 therein. These slots are so arranged thatwhen the slide is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the openings 16 areuncovered and the openings 15 are closed. position shown in Fig. 2, theopenings 16 are closed to the exclusion of the openings 15. To maintainthe slide in close fittting engagement with the closure, I have shown amember, the ends of which are spaced as at 27, to engage the slide andthe middle portion of which is shaped as at 28 to engage the arm 29 ofthe spring. This member is supported at 30 by the end of the lever 31which in turn is pivotally mounted on a shaft 32. The arm 29 of thespring therefore functions to maintain the slide in close-fittingengagement with the closure.

To provide a simple arrangement of actuating mechanism and lockingmechanism, I prefer to employ a spring having two intermediate reversebends as at 35 and 36 through the latter of which the shaft 32 extends.The first-mentioned bend is in engagement with the lever 31 andfunctions to maintain the lever in the position shown in Fig. 3 whereinthe openings 16 are exposed.

The inner end of the spring 37 functions to hold a latch 38 inengagement with a shoulmit the use of the spring mounted thereon.

The lever 31 is shown as positioned 'on the shaft-outside the ears 410while the latch for locking the frame to the container is illustrated ashaving ears 11 which are disposed beyond the sides of the lever. Theears 11 may be turned laterally as at 12 so as to provide suitablesurfaces on which pressure may be exerted for releasing the latch.

The arrangement thus described provides a single spring which has athree-fold fur-ction, namely to hold the slide in close-fittingengagement with the closure, to maintain the lever 31 in the outermostposition, and

In the MPH to urge the latch into locking position.

the compartment 13 to the exclusion of the contents in the compartment12, the user presses the lever 31 and thereby moves the slide 25 fromthe position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown inFig. 2. Thismovement closes the openings 16 and uncovers the openings and thuspermits the flow of condiment from the compartment 13 to the exclusionof that in the compartment 12, so long asthe lever 31 is held in thisposition. As soon as pressure on the lever is released, then. the springurges the lever outwardly and thereby moves the slide to the originalposition as shown in Fig. 1.

lVhen it is desired to remove the closure for purposes .offilling thecompartments, the user releases the latch from the shoulder 39 bypressing inwardly on the surfaces 42 against the tension. of the spring.When the latch is thus released, the frame and slide may be removed as a.unit from the container. The closure may thus be lifted from the top ofthe container.

From the foregoing description it will he evidentthat inventioncomprises a device which when attached to a combined salt and peppershaker enables the use of one container for both condiments and permitsthe use of one condiment to the exclusion of the other. Moreover. theinvention provides a device which may be readily locked to the containerand easily removed therefrom for filling or cleansing purposes, but itis not liable to be inadvertently removed in the normal use of thearticle.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: v

1. In combination, a container, a closure therefor, a memberremovablyattached to the container for positioning the closure thereon,a lever pivotally mounted on the member, a slide for the closure andmeans carried by the lever for maintaining the plate in engagement withthe closure and also moving the slide with reference to the closure.

2, In combination, a container, a closure therefor, a member engagingthe closure for positioning it on the container, a lever pivotall vmounted on said member, a slide disposed above the closure, meanspivoted on the lever for positioning the slide, and a spring engagingsaid means for positioning the slide independently of the lever.

3. In combination, a container, a closure therefor, a slide disposedabove-the closure,

a lever extending downwardly along the side of the container, and meansfor pressing the slide downwardly onto the closure and for maintainingthe lever in one position.

l. In combination, a container having a foraminous closure, a slidedisposed above the closure, a lever for operating the slide, a latch forretaining the lever on the container and means for yieldably urging theslide lever and latch respectively in one direction.

5. In combination a container, a removable closure therefor, a frameengaging the closure for positioning it on the container, a slidedisposed above the closure, yielding means engaging an intermediateregion of the slide for holding it in snug engagement with the closureand a latch mounted on the frame forlocking it to the container.

6. In combination, a container, a closure therefor, a frame engaging theclosure for positioning it on the container, a shaft supported by theframe, a slide disposed above the closure, a lever pivoted on the shaftand operatively connected to the slide, axlatch pivoted on the shaft anda single spring functioning to hold the latch in looking position, andpressing the slide downwardly onto close-fitting engagement with the closure.

7. In combination, a container, a closure therefor, a slide disposedabove the closure, a shaft supported by the frame. a spring mounted onthe shaft, means associated with one end of the spring for yieldablypressing the slide downwardly into engagement with the closure, andmeans associated with the other end of the spring for locking the frameto the container.

8. In combination, a container, a closure therefor, a frame engaging theclosure for positioning it on the container, a slide disposed above theclosure, a shaft journalled in the frame, independently movable leversmounted on the shaft, one of the levers providing a latch whichfunctions to lock the frame to the container, means operativelyconnecting the other lever to the slide, and a spring mounted on theshaft and functioning to force the latch into locking position, and tomaintain the slide in close-fitting engagement with the closure.

9. In combination, a container, a closure therefor, the container havinga recess therein beneath the closure, a frame engaging the closure, a.latch mounted .on' the frame for locking the frame to the container, alever pivoted to the frame,- a slide disposed above the closure andoperatively connected to the lever, means for normally holding the leverout of the recess, said lever being adapted to enter the recess whenmoved against the force of said means, whereby the slide is moved withreference to the closure.

10, In combination, a container, a closure therefor, a frame for holdingthe closure on the container, a shaft journalled in the frame, leversmounted on the shaft, a slide disposed above the closure, a membercarried by one of the levers and operatively connected to the slide, aleaf spring mounted on the shaft and having one end thereof functioningto urge the latch into locking position, and having the other endthereof cooperating With said means to hold the slide in snug engagementwith the closure, said spring having return bends ,on the intermediateportions thereof, one of said bends embracing the shaft, and the otherof said bends engaging the lever, to maintain the slide in apredetermined position.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

FRANK C. VVIDMANN.

